St Paul’s Secondary School
First Year Parents Information Evening
Wednesday September 24th 2014
Changes: Primary - Secondary
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Larger school and Layout
From being the biggest students to the smallest
Students move – teachers stay put
Timetables
Managing Lockers – getting to and from / times
Homework – different amounts depending on
the subject
• Managing the school bag
• Form Teacher, Year Head, Guidance Counsellor
Changes: Primary - Secondary
• Getting to know teachers – from one to possibly ten
or more
• Getting information to all the teachers, i.e. learning,
medical or personal difficulties
• Getting to know new students
• Longer day -Tiredness
• Adjusting – up to Halloween
What can parents/guardians do?
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Spend time chatting about their day.
Check Homework and Student Journal
Discuss concerns regarding new subjects.
Talk about their friends new/old.
Look at timetable and help pack bags.
Monitor pocket and lunch money.
Contact the school or the HSCL if you have
concerns.
What can parents/guardians do?
• Communicate through the student journal
• Relevant information should be passed on – Family,
Learning, Physical – through the Year Head Ms Behan
– who will ensure that the information is passed on.
• Difficulties in individual classes should be addressed
with the teachers concerned. Note in journal or phone
for an appointment.
• Difficulty with a number of subjects contact Form
teacher or Year Head.
• Inspect student journal on a regular basis – recommend
nightly but not less than once a week.
What can parents/guardians do?
• School comments in journal can serve as an
early warning mechanism and head off trouble
in the future.
• Be sensitive to the needs of your child. Don’t
discuss problem(s) with other students/parents.
Christian Ethos
• Catholic Secondary School for all faiths and none.
• Religion is a Junior Cert Subject for all students.
• Christian Action
fundraising
masses/prayer services
liturgies, meditations and retreats
Catholic Schools Week
self esteem programmes
• St Paul’s Chaplain
Fr Liam Merrigan
Guidance & Counselling
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Meet all first years in SPHE classes.
Referrals and one to one to assess concerns and needs.
Confidentiality and trust.
Common issues
Finding their classrooms.
Lockers and getting to class on time.
Making friends and mixing in a co-ed setting.
Bullying – past or new experience.
• Building Self Esteem.
• Will meet students regularly – as needed.
Social, Personal and Health Education
(SPHE) First Year Content
• Bullying
• Settling in to new school
• Getting Organised
• Study Skills
• Introduction to Careers
Role of the Year Head
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Oversees academic progress of students
Takes soundings from students
Facilitates parental contact
Supports students at risk, addresses the needs of
vulnerable students
• Supports families in difficulty and reports to
staff in relation to the year group.
Role of the Year Head
• Meets regularly with the Principal and Deputy
Principal to discuss and review issues
concerning the Year Group
• Organises assemblies
• Ensures the year group follow the Code of
Behaviour
• Monitors lateness and absenteeism
• Checks and reviews the students’ journals
Bullying – The Tell Tale Signs
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Loss of appetite
Change in sleeping patterns
Not mixing
Mood swings
Withdrawal from games, etc
Fear of what might happen if your child reports
bullying can be as bad as bullying itself
• Bullying Policy on school website
Homework & Study
• Entering of all homework in students homework
journal. NOT JUST WRITTEN WORK
• Completion and presentation of written
assignments when due.
• Preparation of classwork-reading, compulsory
learning and revision all need to be addressed
• On-going revision and preparation for class tests,
House and State Examinations.
• Use the homework journal to communicate with
teachers.
Homework and Study
• Recommended duration of study time 1 to 2 hrs
five/six days a week
• Prepare a study/homework plan.
• After school study.
• Show discipline by doing homework before fun
and going out.
• Communicate with teachers via the student journal
if there are on-going problems with homework.
Continuous Assessment & House Exams
• Each subject will have class tests.
• There will be Christmas and Summer Exams of 1
or 1.5 hr in length.
• Exams should be a positive experience.
• Students should be encouraged to challenge
themselves.
• The First Year Parent/Teacher Meeting is the
ideal time to bring minor concerns to the
attention of the subject teacher.
Programmes for Academic Support
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Small Classes
Learning Support and Resource Classes
Reading and Maths Competency Tests
A small number of educational assessments
Junior Certificate Schools Programme (JCSP)
Homework Club
Literacy & Numeracy Initiatives
Team Teaching
Home School Community Liaison
ROLE
“To encourage partnership between
parents/guardians and the school. To ensure the
best possible educational, social and emotional
out comes for each student”
HOW
Empowering parents/guardians to play an active
role in their child’s education
Home School Community Liaison
Developing Partnership with Parents by being
actively involved in your child’s education
• Attend Meetings & P/T Meetings
• Encourage attendance, punctuality, participation and
behaviour
• Volunteer to help the school through the Parents
Council, Fundraising, Driving Bus etc….
• Sign the student journal
• Avail of Adult Education Opportunities
• Encourage Literacy & Numeracy by participating in
initiatives
Junior Certificate Schools Programme JCSP
“Develop Literacy and Numeracy Skills of young people in the
Junior Cycle”
•All first years are part of the JCSP Programme and we will have a
JCSP target group also
-Testing
-Subject Profile Journal
-Subject Statements
-Learning Targets
-Acknowledge Success
-View at P/T Meeting
-Initiatives such as DEAR, Book Review
Readalong, Flashmaster, Spelling Challenge
Reading & Maths Labs, Oral Language Development and
Music (timetable of Initiatives enclosed)
•Experience Success and Reward
RESPECT
and
DOING ONE’S BEST
School Rules and Regulations
• Importance of an orderly environment within the
school and classroom
• Courtesy and good manners
• Attendance and punctuality –target setting
• Mobile Phones, MP3 players
• Respect for property
• Smoking and Substance Abuse
• School Uniform
• A detailed but not exhaustive list of minor, major and
serious offences may be found in school journal on
P10
Sanctions
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Verbal and written warnings
Penalty exercises or “Community Service”
Detention within school hours, 11am and Lunchtime
After school detention
Pink Offence Forms
Diary Signing
Yellow Report Card
Red (Probationary) Report Cards
Suspension
-repeated misconduct after above sanctions have been applied
-serious intimidation, fighting
• Exclusion
Awards & Rewards
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TARGET SETTING
Positive Verbal Comments
Positive Comments in Journal
Positive Comments at the Parent/teacher Meetings
Behaviour Reward Trips
Awards at end of year
Attendance Awards
JCSP Awards
Trips and Tours
Practical Matters
• All textbooks and copies should have the students
name on them.
• All items of clothing should be labelled with
students name.
• The school should be informed regarding students
health issues.
• Please inform us of any changes to your contact
details, particularly phone numbers should they
change.
Practical Matters
• The school is supervised during breaktime and
lunchtime and it is recommended that first year
students stay in school during lunchtime where
possible.
• Hot food, rolls and sandwiches are available in the
school.
• The school encourages a healthy diet.
• One way system -different entrances
• Throwing of litter is forbidden .
• Hooped earings are forbidden.
PE & Sports Teams
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All students do Physical Education
Training after/before and during school
Basketball
Gaelic Football
Soccer/Futsal
Cross Country Running
Running Club
Rugby
Sports Day
Matters Financial
• Student Expenses include locker rental, student
journal, student insurance, photocopying and
printing, practical subjects, guest speakers,
postage etc
• €2 for Buses/Matches
• Phones, MP3 players, large sums of money,
expensive items should not be brought to school
• As part of being an inclusive school we don’t
want any student excluded for financial reasons
• Monitor lunch money
Some final words of advice
• We are here to help – do not hesitate to contact us
• There is an excellent pastoral care system in place in
St. Paul’s – use it if you need to
• Encourage your child to seek help if necessary
• Report incidents of bullying behaviour
• School is about relationships. It’s a three way
experience. The greatest possibility of your child
achieving their potential is when we all work
together to make that happen.
• Attend, participate, RESPECT and Do your Best